# Oh my fucking god. I cannot stand the far left **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 8, 2024, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406 "2024-08-08T04:27:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/321 "2024-08-11T00:51:58Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > MAGAs are roughly 25-30% of the _whole_ population. (For simplicity’s sake everyone voting for Trump is a MAGA) That’s not MAGA. In fact, a poll last year found that fewer than that _approve_ of MAGA. > **[‘MAGA movement’ widely unpopular, new poll finds](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/shows/meetthepress/blog/rcna81200)** > > Just 24% of Americans surveyed have positive views of the Make America Great Again movement in a new national NBC News poll. You’re acting like there’s no such thing as people that barely tolerate Trump but hate the left enough to vote for him anyway. There are a lot of those people. Now, remember that a lot of people are also fucking idiots and gullible, which isn’t the same as being an extremist. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/322 "2024-08-11T01:17:17Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I took a teenage relative blueberry picking. I told her to leave the berries on the lower branches for the littler kids who couldn’t reach up high. She called me a commie. > > Collecting food for the food pantry? Commie. > > NPR on the radio? Commie. > > Complaining about medical surprise billing? Commie. > > Asking her to try a small portion of my cooking before loading up her plate and then tossing it after the first bite? Commie. > > Southwest Airlines canceling her flight due to Cloudstrike issue? Commie. It may be time to re-claim that word. Stalin is long dead, and so is the Soviet Union. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/323 "2024-08-11T01:31:53Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Shut the fuck up. Nailed it in one. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/324 "2024-08-11T01:49:43Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > My perception, such as it is, is that the one thing extremists have in common is dogmatism. When you move inward from the left extreme, the dogmatism drops off abruptly and quickly, but coming in from the far right, it declines gradually. Thus, right-wing extremists will tend to hold sway over more of the right, as the dogma appears to be more far-reaching coming inward. IMO, this is probably due to the fact that authoritarianism is inherently a right wing phenomena in the wealthy, developed west. > **[Right-wing authoritarianism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarianism#)** > > In psychology, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) is a set of attitudes, describing somebody who is highly submissive to their authority figures, acts aggressively in the name of said authorities, and is conformist in thought and behavior. The prevalence of this attitude in a population varies from culture to culture, as a person's upbringing and education play a strong role in determining whether somebody develops this sort of worldview. > The right-wing authoritarian was defined by Bob Altemeyer ... > Dogmatism > Authoritarians tend to hold stubbornly to their beliefs even when presented with evidence that suggests their beliefs are wrong. This is particularly true concerning beliefs that underpin the identity of the group. If anything, when confronted with contradictory evidence, their beliefs are often reinforced. [https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-023-00161-4#Sec10](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-023-00161-4#Sec10) > The reality is arguably more nuanced. To be clear, people who endorse left-wing ideals rarely score high on canonical measures of authoritarianism in the western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) countries where most authoritarianism research has been conducted. But positive correlations between left-wing ideology and authoritarianism routinely emerge in countries with a history of communism > Complicating this picture, many who are sceptical of left-wing authoritarianism view these findings as evidence of the construct’s spuriousness: if authoritarianism on the left only emerges in small pockets of the world where communism is the status quo, then left-wing authoritarianism might merely be right-wing authoritarianism in communist dress (insofar as both right-wing and left-wing authoritarianism entail deference to authorities, aversion to change and an inclination to conform to in-group norms). Accordingly, those who question the existence of left-wing authoritarianism argue that those who defer to — and weaponize — the dominant sociocultural hierarchy are authoritarians; in other words, authoritarians are reactionaries even when they adopt nominally left-wing attitudes[155](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-023-00161-4#ref-CR155). Thus, some argue that studying so-called ‘left-wing authoritarians’ who are ostensibly interchangeable with right-wing authoritarians in WEIRD nations does little to advance understanding of authoritarianism writ large. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/325 "2024-08-11T01:53:39Z")
> A slight majority of Republicans — 52% — view the MAGA movement positively, as well as 53% of those who define themselves as conservative. > > Independents also rated the movement negatively, with just 12% viewing it positively, while 45% say they have negative views of the movement. > > The movement received net-positive ratings across only a few political and demographic groups, finding support among those who make up the Republican base, including Americans who are white, less educated and live in rural areas. Half of the republican party and half of conservatives have a positive view of MAGA. Its not an extremist view. And they hold total control over the other half of the GOP and conservatives who are too spineless to stand up to MAGA and Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/326 "2024-08-11T02:08:29Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Half of the republican party and half of conservatives have a positive view of MAGA. Its not an extremist view. There is a difference between having a positive view of it and being a member of it. Again, if you don’t care for Trump but hate Biden (or the left in general), of course you’ll support Trump and appreciate the MAGA movement even if you don’t embrace it. Don’t forget all the people who are motivated to vote against a person rather than for a person. And note that it wasn’t me calling MAGA “extremists” (I don’t think they all are, I think a lot and probably most are just low information people), it was the person I was replying to. > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > And they hold total control over the other half of the GOP and conservatives who are too spineless to stand up to MAGA and Trump. This is quite obviously true. At least right now the Republican Party is the Trump Party. They showed indications of reaching a border deal with Democrats who were accepting a lot of Republican terms until Trump personally told them not to. The RNC put Trump’s daughter-in-law as a co-chair of the organization. He pretty much owns it. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/327 "2024-08-11T02:14:54Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > You’re too old, weak minded and dogmatic to understand any of this but I’m going to say it anyway. Because you’re full of hot methane and will explode like the [Hindenburg](https://youtu.be/A7Ly1Oh-xvs?t=22) if you don’t let some out? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/328 "2024-08-11T02:38:35Z")
I feel much better now that I’ve vented and cut the toxic people out of my life who inspired this thread. Also the hindenburg was filled with hydrogen ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/329 "2024-08-11T02:40:14Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > This is quite obviously true. At least right now the Republican Party is the Trump Party. They showed indications of reaching a border deal with Democrats who were accepting a lot of Republican terms until Trump personally told them not to. The RNC put Trump’s daughter-in-law as a co-chair of the organization. He pretty much owns it. I think the issue is any republican who stands up to Trump probably ends up losing their primary. The others have learned to fall in line and keep their mouths shut sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/330 "2024-08-11T02:47:30Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I think the issue is any republican who stands up to Trump probably ends up losing their primary. And may need to pay for personal security for the rest of their life. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/331 "2024-08-11T02:59:54Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I feel much better now that I’ve vented and cut the toxic people out of my life who inspired this thread. > > Also the hindenburg was filled with hydrogen Yes, but humans stuffed full of crap like you fill with methane. You are human, aren’t you…? As for ‘cutting toxic people out of your life’, my mantle will weep bitterly for your missing high class Christmas card. /s ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/332 "2024-08-11T14:29:01Z")
It of course seems normal to me. The good things that came out of it were I don’t waste food (it still bugs me to see people leaving food on plates at a buffet), a general willingness to try new foods, and, for a child of German heritage from Minnesota, I have a fairly broad palate (aside from squash and cooked peas). ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/333 "2024-08-11T18:43:50Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > That’s not MAGA. In fact, a poll last year found that fewer than that _approve_ of MAGA. And yet if, to use the linked article’s poll result, only 24% of voters vote for MAGA politicians in general and Trump in particular I will be astonished – to say nothing of surprised. Instead I’m wondering if Democrats will prevail in enough districts and get enough EC votes that our country will survive as it has been. Plus, the same poll finds while the MAGAts’ approval rating is 24% positive, Trump’s is 34%. That extra 10% sees Trump as a useful idiot to get their tax cuts? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/334 "2024-08-11T18:52:31Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Plus, the same poll finds while the MAGAts’ approval rating is 24% positive, Trump’s is 34%. That extra 10% sees Trump as a useful idiot to get their tax cuts? As I never tire of mentioning, a Trump voter told me — on her own initiative, not in response to me asking — _“I think he’s an idiot, but I like his policies.”_ If there’s a way to describe the way she sees him other than “useful idiot,” I’m not sure what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/335 "2024-08-11T22:32:35Z")
OK, the family post wasn’t meant for you. I think your mom was pretty fair. It was meant for mighty mouse of the MAGA teenager and parents. Sorry about the confusion. I was afraid that would happen. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2024, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/336 "2024-08-12T11:30:50Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > MAGAs are roughly 25-30% of the _whole_ population. Yes, but the majority of them are followers, not die-hard instigators. Get rid of the latter and things would improve a lot. We might even bring back the archaic methodology of “compromise”. Please note: If you’re going to call me an “idiot” and “dumb”, please don’t respond to me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/337 "2024-08-12T16:23:25Z")
They may be followerrs, but they are desperately searching for a leader who is fascist and promotes the idea of in-group supremacy and cruelty to out-groups. Even if Trump disappeared, all the right wing authoritarian followers would just be waiting for someone new to come along and lead them. Theres too much incentive for that kind of power vacuum to go unfilled for so long. But then again, it doesn’t seem like anyone who has tried to fill that power vacuum is going to be as effective as Trump. DeSantis tried to fill it and failed miserably. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/338 "2024-08-12T16:36:30Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Please note: If you’re going to call me an “idiot” and “dumb”, please don’t respond to me at all. It is, after all, ~~UseNet~~ the Pit. Posters down here can get a little carried away (_cf_, OP). If you insist on participating here, apply some skin-thickener, and/or infer the insults as a sign of weakness on the other person’s part. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/339 "2024-08-12T17:10:04Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > But then again, it doesn’t seem like anyone who has tried to fill that power vacuum is going to be as effective as Trump. DeSantis tried to fill it and failed miserably. Yep. I was listening to a podcast where they were discussing the possibility of Trump dropping out of the race (because he has done few campaign-like events so far, so they were wondering if his heart is not in it). It occurred to me that if Vance were to take the reins – do the same as the Dems did – then MAGA is toast overnight. It would be a “lights on at the end of the party” moment, where the MAGAs would look at each others’ Trump emblazoned clothes and flags, look at the anti-charm on stage trying desperately to pander to them, and just think _What am I doing?_ ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406/340 "2024-08-13T00:34:53Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > We might even bring back the archaic methodology of “compromise”. So long as there is a right wing media, that is not on the menu. A person can not like MAGA and still believe that Democrats are communist groomers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-my-fucking-god-i-cannot-stand-the-far-left/1005406.md?page=18)